When someone mentions Ohio, most of us as sports fans
immediately think football — the Bengals, certainly
the Browns, and of course the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Football is just a way of life in Ohio. People
eat, sleep and breathe it in the Buckeye state. So
beloved is the sport that the NFL has its best all-time
athletes displayed in Canton.
Ryan Hawk is a typical upper mid-western kid from
Centerville, Ohio. He and his brother A.J. (a
junior LB at Ohio State) both grew up with a love and
passion for the game of football. Although neither
of their parents played college sports of any kind, Ryan
and A.J. couldn't see themselves doing anything but.
Growing up in Centerville; Ryan played in his youth
football league there and was a stand out quarterback
for Centerville High School. Ryan showed his
athletic ability during his days in high school,
throwing for 5,000+ yards and 42 touchdowns. He
was named the
Dayton Daily News and Southwest Ohio Player of the
Year as a senior.
Coming out of high school, Ryan was recruited by Miami
University (of Ohio) and Ohio University, among other
programs. He eventually chose Miami. He
loved everything about it. The wide open offense
was very appealing to him. The combination of the
beautiful campus and the football program put Miami
ahead of every other school that was recruiting him.
Ryan was looking forward to his days as a RedHawk
Everything seemed to be going in Ryan’s direction, but
the only problem was that Miami also recruited in that
same class a kid named Ben Roethlisberger. Ryan
saw action as a true freshman while Ben red-shirted that
year. Ryan knew they had recruited Ben, yet as far
as he was concerned he was not going to back down to
anyone in the battle for playing time; as he has
indicated, "I felt confident that I was going to win the
job, and for the first year, I did." But Ryan has
also acknowledged that "everyone else knows the story,
and [Ben] went on to become the best athlete in the
history of the school."
Not to be deterred, after 2 years of undeniable
frustration, Ryan made what had to be one of the hardest
decisions a kid his age could make. He sat out the
2002 season in order to transfer to Ohio University.
Ryan refused to lie down and go unnoticed; something
that was instilled in him and his brother A.J. by their
father. Something he said "sets them apart from other
athletes." Ryan has also commented about his father,
“what we did get from our dad was an unmatched work
ethic."
His confidence unshaken, Ryan stepped up as the starter
for the Ohio Bobcats in 2004, throwing for 1,585 yards
and 10 touchdowns. Though, one might have observed
that Ryan again was the great asset mixed into a very
average football team. Ryan gave everything he had
in what he knew was his final year to showcase himself.
Yet with only a bland offense and talent around him, he
wasn't able to get his name on the map like he
undoubtedly had hoped.
I recently had a chance to talk with Ryan and was as
impressed with him as I've been with anyone I've come
across in the college ranks in quite some time. He
has done everything within his power to propel himself
to the next level in a football sense; he just hasn't
had the stage and the spotlight to show it.
DraftBoardInsider.com:
You seem like a very determined kid. I mean...you
haven't given up, and you won't give up. You have faced
some tough decisions as a young man, and I don't have
any doubt they were hard ones. Any regrets?
Ryan Hawk:
I have no regrets. I would not trade anything that has
happened to me for anything. A lot of people who are
close to me claim that I just got very unlucky. I
look at it the complete other way. I am so
fortunate to be in the position that I am in. I
had a great two years at Miami, and a great competitive
battle with Ben that only made me better. I have
experienced a lot, including a transfer to a rival
school. I am one of the few guys on my team and
any team that have had the chance to play for two great
Universities. I have loved every minute of it.
DBI:
You are a strong young man with a strong arm. You
only have one full year under your belt as a starting
Division I quarterback though. What do you tell
the scouts and the fans that might raise an eyebrow at
Ryan Hawk?
RH:
I was elected a captain by my teammates. I felt
that I was able to come in late and earn my teammates’
respect in a short period of time. I took a lot of
pride in being voted on by my teammates to lead this
team. As far as physical attributes, I welcome any
NFL scout to come to my Pro Day on campus here at Ohio
University and watch me make every throw, and run one of
the fastest 40-yard dash times for any quarterback in
the draft. I have been getting my body ready
everyday since the end of the season, and I will be more
than ready to show it to all of them in March or any
other time for that matter. All I want is a chance
to be seen.
DBI:
You're actually a 5th year senior and have had plenty of
experience on a football field in many facets of the
game — receiving, special teams, etc. Do you feel
as though you have a pretty extensive knowledge of the
game?
RH:
Yes, I feel like I have a great feel for the game.
I have always believed that someday I will coach
quarterbacks to help teach them the intricacies of the
game. It is a sport that I truly have a passion
for.
DBI:
Due to no fault of your own, you have really only had
the chance at being a full-time starter once, this last
year, in your college career. How hard has that
been to deal with for you?
RH:
It is tough at times. I knew that I would be able
to help my team win throughout the years, but for
certain reasons, like sitting out my transfer year, I
wasn't able to do it. It has only made me stronger
and cherish every minute that I am able to play.
DBI: You
are an athlete Ryan, and it shows in your physical
presence. You are 6'2'' and 205lbs. You can bench
225 pounds 20 times, and you max at 330, and your squats
are an impressive 440. With no disrespect to you
at all, with all that work and effort, it has to be
frustrating that you were only given the chance one year
to showcase yourself on a very average football team.
RH:
Yes, it was at times, like I said before. That's just a
part of college athletics though. You just have to
concentrate on making the most of your opportunities,
and I tried my best to do that.
DBI:
You are fast also. A 4.48 is a very solid time for
a guy your size. How is your speed and size an
advantage?
RH:
I think quarterbacks who are elusive and fast are much
more dangerous than immobile guys. I know that my
brother would much rather play against a statue as
opposed to a guy who can run and make people miss like
myself. Speed is essential in football, and it
makes the quarterback much more lethal when he can run
and throw.
DBI:
What do you feel is your strongest asset as a football
player?
RH:
The ability to come through in adverse situations is
something that I have had to deal with and succeed at in
college. Much more than some other players who
maybe played on teams that were more successful.
It has helped me very much to have had to deal with some
of those tough situations. Physically, I would say
my arm strength and the ability to escape from defenders
when a play breaks down are my strongest assets.
DBI:
You obviously love the quarterback position, even to go
so far as to sit out a year in college in order to go
somewhere else where you might have the opportunity to
start at that position. If drafted at another
position, what would your feelings towards that be?
RH:
I would be willing to play any position on the field in
order to get to the highest level. Offense,
defense, or special teams would work for me.
Whatever it takes.
DBI:
If you had one thing to say to an NFL scout, what would
it be?
RH:
Come watch me in person. Watch me run and throw,
and watch my game films. I have nothing to hide
and am very confident in my abilities. Also, A.J.
Hawk is the best linebacker in the country. He
should be the first linebacker taken in the 2006 NFL
draft. I guarantee that he will outwork and outplay
every single guy that is being compared to him. He
is big, strong, and very fast. He is a lethal
hitter who fears no one.
I had a great time learning who Ryan Hawk is.
Before I did this interview, I knew who Ryan Hawk was
like many others who watch the college football scene
out there — I knew who Ryan Hawk was to the extent that
I knew his name, knew he played QB for Ohio, and that
his brother was a very good linebacker; but that’s not
really knowing Ryan Hawk. Here is a kid that has
some outstanding talent, but really hasn't showcased it.
That really started to bother me the more I learned
about Ryan. But what is something to really
respect about him is how he’s handled that adversity.
In talking to Ryan, you learn that he’s just a normal
guy. He loves football, playing poker, watching
movies and living the American way of life. It’s
also clear that he works hard. When I asked him if
there was anything unusual about him, the only thing
that he thought might be unusual about him is his love
for lifting weights, and physically and mentally working
his body to its maximum point. Being in Ryan’s
position and where he’s been, it will only serve him
well in the future that his level of dedication to
working hard is unusual.
Ryan is not all brawn either; he's got a pretty quick
elevator. He plans to graduate in June with a
degree in Organizational Communication, carrying a 3.4
grade point average. I have no doubt now that Ryan
could easily handle the rigors and complexities of the
NFL. Here is a guy that learned a new offense
every single year that he played, and as he has said, "I
feel that I would be able to pick up any scheme
regardless of the complexities." In talking with
him, and learning about him, I’m convinced of that as
well.
And perhaps most compelling about the person rather than
the player, right down to the last word I had with Ryan,
he was playing up his brother, not himself.
Selfish is not a word that comes to mind when describing
Ryan Hawk. All he ever wanted, and all he really
needs, is a chance, a chance to perform. He's
faced enough adversity and handled it like a man.
Perhaps the time has come for Ryan Hawk to get that
break…I’ll at least have my fingers crossed for him on
draft day. But either way, NFL or no NFL, Ryan
Hawk will undoubtedly be a success story, so somehow I
don't think we've heard the last from Ryan Hawk.
